There You Are, Rukia!
by Trynia Merin
Summary: What if Ichigo didn't read Rukia's note in time during the Shinigami Arc? What was Renji thinking when he attacked her that first night?


There You Are, Rukia

Chapter 1-A Note Goes Unread

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, Tite Kubo does. This fanfiction means no harm to the anime or manga.

What if Ichigo didn't find Rukia's note? Here's my take on how things may have been different.

* * *

After she had taped Kon to the toilet Rukia hoped Ichigo wouldn't find the message in time. Even if he did, she hoped he would find it long after she had slipped away. Now under the silvery light of the moon Rukia raced swiftly to put as much distance between her and the Substitute Soul Reaper, of her own making.

"I've been away too long," she said aloud, her feet pounding on the lonely street a few blocks from the Kurosaki clinic. Though she wished it was far further. Fluctuations in spirit pressure screamed the impending event she feared since she transferred her powers to Ichigo to save them both.

"YES, you FINALLY realized it!" shouted a voice from far above. She shivered in anticipation, recognizing it.

Moonlight gleamed off the glasses from the Silver Dragonfly shop. Rukia swore she thought they were cracked last time she had seen them. Now he stalked towards her, Zabimaru slung over his shoulder, grinning ferally. At sight of his sharp canines her heart pounded, out of arousal and fear. That look on his face was either either of joy or the lust of battle.

'Perhaps a bit of both,' Rukia thought to herself.

"Yes, you FINALLY realized you've been here too long," Renji crowed, sandal-clad feet carrying him up to her with long legged strides. For a moment, Rukia glanced down at the swirling pleats of his hakama because his face was too terrifying.

"Renji!" she stammered, backing away. Her heart sank when she realized his reason here, to retrieve her.

"You've been missing for 2 months Rukia. What the hell's kept you? Did you really think you'd stay alive longer hiding out here? Who stole your powers?"

"I have NO idea what you're talking about," she said to his barrage of questions.

Green energy flickered from the blade, and Rukia barely dodged to the side as it sizzled down. The next slash she flipped over and slid on her hands to avoid, hardly believing that he of all people would attack her. Not after what they'd been through together. Yet she deserved it for the crime she had committed. Anything would be better than living with the guilt of passing her powers to a mortal and putting him in danger. No, it was far better that they know nothing of Ichigo and focus all the punishment on her.

"You've lost your edge Rukia! And what the hell are you staring at me like that for... you look so damn... human!"

Rukia dropped to her knees, weary from fighting and running. If he was going to kill her, she wanted it over. Something in her chest ached and she wondered if it was her heart breaking or fear for Ichigo. Perhaps Renji wanted to grant her mercy by executing her now.

*So be it,* she thought, feeling the crackling energies of his spiritual pressure shoving against her. Instead of a cold blade, she felt a warm hand grab her forearm and drag her up. In shock, she stared up at his intense red eyes piercing her soul it seemed.

'So that's how a soul reaper looked to a frightened human. Damn it,' she thought.

"Please tell me I'm wrong, Rukia Kuchiki," Renji whispered, dragging her close as he leaned over, his blade laying to one side of her neck.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "You've caught me. Either kill me or take me back to soul society."

"Where is he? Where's the damn human who stole your powers! Answer me!"

His hand squeezed her arm while his blade pressed into her neck. Rukia blinked up at him, licking her lips, and feeling a mixture of incredible arousal along with terror. Not just for her, but mostly for Ichigo. He stood no chance against Renji. She prayed that he would be smart enough to not follow her.

"I..." she stammered out, unable to speak.

Here was her childhood friend whom she hid no secrets from, yet he seemed a stranger. Had two months in the human world altered her so much she saw him so differently? Maybe it was the light, or perhaps the anger and outrage mingled with disappointment.

"The soul society spent all sorts a money and time making you the best Soul Reaper, damn it! After all they've done for ya you do and do THIS?" he snapped, lips inches from her face. Yes, he was pissed. Disappointed that the pedestal he had put her on came crashing down.

"Why did they send you?" she croaked, unable to look him in the eyes anymore.

"You're fortunate I found you first. Your brother and I," Renji murmured, pressing the blade of his sword into her neck. Not hard enough to break the skin but enough to caress it with its sharpness. She squeezed her eyes shut, still speechless.

"Do you have any idea what this MEANS? I've been sent to KILL you Rukia!"

"Then do so, or take me back. As I said before," she said, swallowing hard and gazing up at him. "That's your duty Renji Abarai. Do it."

The hand that held her arm suddenly diverted to grab the front of her dress. Pressing her into the nearest phone pole Renji dropped to one knee. Still keeping his sword at her throat, he dipped his head down. Rukia felt the fluctuation in his spirit pressure, and tipped her head back to expose her throat. If her death was at the hands of her oldest friend, she accepted it. Far better than to face the shame.

"I am glad you found me first Renji. Do it now and be quick," she whispered.

His eyes were gleaming with anger as he whispered, "I was so damn excited. I'd been frickin' promoted to VICE captain of squad SIX, with your own BROTHER, and THIS is what I come back to? Rukia have you lost your mind?"

For a few tense seconds she waited for his blade to bite deeper but it trembled and only bit at the level of her skin. Instead, she felt a knee shoved between her legs and the hand clutching her shirt drag her upwards. The sword then vanished and she didn't dare open her eyes for fear of what might have stopped him. Instead, her breath was choked off with something warm covering her mouth.

Blinking her eyes open, she saw nothing because something blocked her immediate view, and a strong arm crushed her flat against their chest. Her hands were trapped between them, grabbing cloth and squeezing it to push her attacker away. Panic gave way to intense wonderment that this was no assault save one of pleasure.

Warm firm lips moved over hers, someone's tongue slipping against hers to thrust deep inside. Against the back of her head, the wood felt hard and unyielding. Then the hand clutching her shirt released and seized the back of her neck. His tongue muffled Rukia's cry and she almost fainted with shock.

She struggled to breathe and pushed back. For only a second her lips were freed and she blinked up at the dark shadow in awe and confusion as Renji tangled his fingers in her hair. His voice was soft as he whispered, "Rukia, just tell me who did this to you. I'll kill him and you'll get your powers back. Maybe there's a chance that..."

"Have you lost yours... being so... so familiar with me?" Rukia stammered, licking her lips because they still tingled and hungered for the kiss.

"You think I WANT to kill you, idiot?" Renji whispered against her lips.

Again her response buried in another intense kiss. Her knees parted as he leaned his body more heavily against her, and she had no choice but to part her legs and wrap them around his waist. So forcefully, did he invade her mouth with his tongue she could not resist or pull away, even if she wanted to? Instead, she freed her hands and simply wrapped them around his neck to feel his hair once more.

"Mmm… I missed… this…" she gasped. He was the only man she had ever kissed other than a chaste peck on the cheek in response to some person kissing her.

Panting Renji drew back and whispered, "You remember when we first did this? That dumbass kissed your cheek…"

"When you and Kira and Momo got drunk and were ignoring me during the cherry blossom festival. How could I forget?" whispered she.

"You didn't speak to me for a week I remember, after I punched his lights out," Renji snickered.

"Your own friends in the advanced class started kissing after you assaulted me and pinned me up against the tree," whispered she. Before she could shriek, she had tasted his warm lips tangy with alcohol.

"Just like this," Renji murmured. He again cut off her reply. Soon she felt him pull back and said nothing as she watched him tugging up her skirt with one hand while keeping her pinned there with his body. His other arm still clutched his sword while holding her in a firm embrace.

"I… I had to watch what Kira and Momo and everyone else were doing because I'd never kissed anyone or been kissed before like that," she panted, parting again for breath.

"Everyone was makin' out under the trees drunk off their asses," Renji whispered.

"Any other time since then if anyone came close they'd end up in Squad 4."

Memories flashed through her mind at that instant, recalling a similar position. It had only been a sakura blossom festival and everyone was getting drunk. She and the other classmate had sat with friends and then people's hands started to wander. The cute student who would send her notes all those periods. When she and Renji were separated and he started to hang out with Momo and Kira, avoiding her.

It delighted her to see him so angry and jealous. The only reason she HAD kiss the other guy back or let him near without kicking him somewhere painful was because she saw Renji sitting with his new friends getting drunk. At that moment, they had started to argue, and then Renji grabbed her up over his shoulder and carried a sake bottle in the other. She squirmed to get out of his grasp and then he had pushed her against a tree. Before she could shriek, she tasted his warm lips tangy with alcohol. Seeing him, Momo had gasped and Kira blushed when giving her a kiss.

Renji had not stopped even though she pushed against him. Instead, Rukia lifted her hands and put them around his neck, peering out of the corner of her eye at what other students were doing. Everyone hung on everyone else, kissing or holding hands, drunk out of their minds. He had given her first kiss and she was always glad of it. Even though she woke up with a horrible headache and he did not speak to her for a whole week later. He had gone back to his studies and she to hers, neither speaking of the incident until later. More kisses followed, and even the night when they had given themselves to one another. Only months before she was adopted.

Over the years, they had met and renewed their association. No one was ever allowed to come close save Kaien, and he was a married man. Not that he ever WOULD do anything like that. Rukia would see to it. Moreover, if anyone DID she would hear that they had ended up in squad 4 suffering from some mysterious injuries.

"I was happy to pound anyone stupid enough to come close to ya, Rukia. This is why I'm here now. What the hell do you think you're doing not callin back for 2 months? I was worried SICK, damn it!"

"I never ASKED you to protect me, Renji Abarai!"

"Can't help it. For what the hell it's worth. Cause your brother didn't hear jack SHIT!"

"What... what are you doing?" she got out when he reached up between her legs and she felt something rip.

"Shut up," Renji hissed, kissing her again. His free hand slid between them and fumbled with something. Two hot fingers slipped into her body and she lost her mind and a squeal into his firm lips. Not able to think rationally Rukia grabbed onto his shoulders and neck, her legs tightening around his hips. Then his fingers left after several powerful thrusts up and inside her.

"Are you crazy?" she mumbled when he pulled back, his eyes now burning with desire rather than bloodlust.

"Keep quiet," Renji growled, and she pressed her lips together when she saw him fumbling with his sash.

She relinquished her grip to help him untie his sash and the fastenings on the front of his hakama. There was no doubt what he wanted and even if it was the worst time and place to do it, her body could not say no. Both clothed except for lower down in restricted areas, they again kissed one another. Something hard and hot nudged between Rukia's legs, and she screamed into Renji's open mouth as it slipped inside.

Was he really doing this? To her in this state in a Gigai? Rukia grunted and shifted her hips, her body aching with the completion of their joining. She did not realize how much she missed him until he made fast hard love to her. All she could do was hang onto him and bury her screams in his demanding mouth, returning his frantic kisses. Then Renji shivered at his peak, bringing her along, pressing her so hard that she felt no empty space inside. For that second she felt safe, loved, and whole. Even if she died the next instant, it would be all right. Because she trusted him with her life and her death.

All too soon, her body protested as he untangled himself from her. He pressed one last kiss to her forhead, then her lips before lowering her to the ground. "That's what I wanted to do to you when I saw you again, not hunt you, Rukia."

"I know," she whispered.

She made no move to escape, simply sliding down the pole when he let her go, on her knees as he stood up and put himself back together. In that one moment, she got up and rushed away. Green energies blazed past her, stinging her cheek.

"You can't get away from me, Rukia," he called out to her. Body tingling with the aftereffects of incredible sex Rukia bolted at full pace with him after her.

It was only a matter of time before he would catch her once more, and her instinct told her it was a deadly game. Now that he knew she no longer had her powers and had done the unthinkable. Far better this way, she hoped.

* * *

A/N: This idea wouldn't leave me alone when it came in a dream. Sort of a 'what if' variation on when Rukia runs away and is intercepted by Renji. My attempt to explain his actions and put a spin on it. Plus I guess I'm a sucker for Ren/Ruki lemony/lime content.


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